Have you ever had to wear an eye patch?  A number of years ago I scratched my cornea and had to wear an eye patch for about a week. It was a new experience. I didn’t have any depth perception. With only one eye I could still see everything, but I couldn’t properly judge distance, or see in three dimensions.

What you are seeing in both passages is correct, but to gain the greater understanding you need to see both sides of the truth together.

I challenge you to try this experiment: close your right eye and extend the index finger of your right hand. Line your index finger up with some object in the distance. Now, without moving your finger, close your left eye and open your right eye.  It will look like either the object moved or your finger moved, because they are no longer aligned…but neither is true. You are just seeing from a different angle. God made our brains so that we take the signals sent to us from both eyes and put them together, so that we see the world in 3D. We can more accurately judge distance and shape because of this ability.

In a similar way, sometimes it seems that the Bible is contradicting itself, but upon closer study you will discover that it is not. What you are seeing in both passages is correct, but to gain the greater understanding you need to see both sides of the truth together…with “both eyes,” so that you can see spiritually in “3D,” so to speak. You’ll need to study a little harder, dig a little deeper, read the context of each passage, and see why it is being said and to whom it is being said. Then, go to the Lord and ask Him to help you see with “spiritual depth perception.”

About Nancy J. Collins

Nancy J. Collins is the director of Joy of Living Bible Studies. She has been a speaker and Bible teacher for over 30 years, ministering to both children and adults, and is the presenter of the Joy of Living training video, Planning & Leading a Bible Study.

Nancy holds a B. A. in Biblical Studies, and is the author of three complete Joy of Living courses; the commentary portion of five Joy of Living courses; the study questions for over ten Joy of Living courses; and three Joy of Living pre-school studies. She, also, co-authored the Leadership Training Guide, and has edited many of the Joy of Living courses.

She and her husband, Chuck, live in Southern California. They have 7 adult children.